Health Minister Tony Abbott says he is trying to contact John
Brogden to apologise for his insensitive comments following the
former NSW Liberal leader's apparent suicide attempt.

Mr Abbott has rejected calls for him to step down after telling
a party function on Wednesday that the Government would be as dead
as Mr Brogden's political prospects if it took up a health proposal
being discussed.

Mr Abbott told a second party gathering on the same day that he
wanted to make it clear he had never made inappropriate gestures
towards women - a reference to Mr Brogden's admission he had made
approaches towards two female journalists.

The remarks were made within 24 hours of Mr Brogden's apparent
suicide attempt last Tuesday.

"I left a message on what I believed was the best number for him
yesterday, just indicating that I was very sorry if I'd caused any
additional offence," Mr Abbott told Ten News.

Opposition Leader Kim Beazley has called for Mr Abbott, who has
responsibility for mental health issues, to resign over the
comments, while Liberal senator George Brandis described the
minister's behaviour as disgusting.

But Mr Abbott said he had no plans to step aside.

"I would be the first person to admit that I have many flaws but
I think I am doing a reasonable job as Health Minister," he
said.

Mr Beazley said Mr Abbott's comments showed he did not deserve
to be a minister.

"The Liberal Party is fast becoming a pit of extremism and
poison and the statements that were made by Mr Abbott in relation
to Mr Brogden directly affect the character and capacities of Mr
Howard's leadership," Mr Beazley told reporters.

He said the lead set by the person holding responsibility for
mental health issues had to be pristine.

"Quite clearly he doesn't have the appropriate mindset to handle
the issues of mental health when he's prepared to make cracks like
that in the circumstances which emerged for his colleague Mr
Brogden," Mr Beazley said.

"Firstly, what he had to say was of itself unacceptable but the
pulpit from which he said it is one where utter sensitivity is
required, so the combination of those factors render himself unfit
for office," Mr Beazley said.

He said Mr Brogden had paid a huge penalty for unacceptable
comments made while under the influence of alcohol, but Mr Abbott
did not have that excuse.

"But in the case of Abbott, he was not drunk or even halfway
there," he said.

"What sort of bloke have you got running mental health in this
country?"